MV Archie Badenoch

One such boat was South Australia’s  Archie Badenoch, built in November 1945 at the General Motors Holden plant at Woodville. Originally intended for the Second World War workboat program, she was employed as a supply tender for the Royal Australian Navy around the port until 1946, when she was acquired by the South Australian Police. The Police Department named the vessel to commemorate Mounted Constable Archibald Badenoch. ‘Archie’ was the first South Australian Police Officer to be killed in action during the Second World War, in the battle for El Alamein, North Africa on 1 November 1942. A sergeant in the 2/43rd Battalion, Archie was directing mortar fire from a forward position when an enemy shell exploded nearby, killing him instantly.

The police used their newly acquired vessel as their No. 1 Water Police launch from 1946 to 1978.  Archie  was their only all-weather deep-sea police patrol vessel and she helped the force save many lives in South Australia’s coastal waters, while featuring in hundreds of water-borne rescues. Although credited with an outstanding working record, in November 1978 she was replaced with a larger, more modern vessel, the Warrendi. The next phase in the work boat’s career took her to Wardang Island, Spencer Gulf, where she was owned by the Department of Further Education and used by the local mission community. Some years later the launch fell into a state of disrepair and was left abandoned. 

Archie Badenoch is now owned and operated by the South Australian Maritime Museum, taking school students on cruises of the Port’s Inner Harbor. Surveyed to carry 24 passengers, Archie can be chartered for any occasion and runs regular Port River heritage tours.

Dimensions

Length 40’ x Breadth 11’6’’ x Draught 5’

Tonnage: 18 tonnes (approx.)

The hull is of carvel construction with copper sheeting.